The American Hockey League announced today that the St. John’s Telegram is the recipient of the James H. Ellery Memorial Award for its outstanding print media coverage during the 2012-13 season.

The award is presented annually by the league in recognition of outstanding media coverage of the AHL in three categories. Other winners were the Rochester Americans director of broadcasting Don Stevens (radio) and Sportsnet (television).

Covering the American Hockey League for The Telegram, Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest newspaper, sports editor Robin Short and reporter Brendan McCarthy provided the St. John’s IceCaps with superior coverage all year long. The Telegram staffed every home game, provided recaps of every road game and complemented its game coverage with regular features and in-depth profile stories on the IceCaps organization. Both Short and McCarthy have been covering the AHL for The Telegram since 1991.

The most senior member of the AHL’s broadcasting fraternity, Don Stevens completed his 27th season in the Rochester Americans’ broadcast booth in 2012-13. A member of the Amerks Hall of Fame and an honoree on the Frontier Field Walk of Fame celebrating contributions to Rochester’s sports history, Stevens also serves as an ambassador and emcee at public speaking functions and other community events for the Americans.

Sportsnet brought American Hockey League action into homes across Canada with a Game of the Week package that featured 20 live national broadcasts during the 2012-13 season, including the two-day 2013 AHL All-Star Classic and the 2013 Outdoor Classic at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pa.

The James H. Ellery Memorial Awards, which were first presented in 1964, honor the late Mr. Ellery, who served the American Hockey League for 17 years as league secretary and publicity director.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 87 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 12th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2012-13.